Ignition device for internal-combustion engines.



L. T. RHOADES.

IGNITION DEVICE FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 6. I915.

1,155,372. Patented Oct. 5. 1915.

jIe' i 4- 3 I am 24 I05 I E826 I WI I? I I I I I II as I F1 g.5 T

I a II 84 I 4? r a5 a i in II I? awvmto'o W/V a Lewis ZRFzaaaZe:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEWIS T. RI-IOADES, OF MONT CLARE, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO NEW YORK COIL COMPANY, INCORPORATED, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

IGNITION DEVICE FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES.

Application filed March 6,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEwIs T. RHOADES, a citizen of the United States, residing at Mont Clare, in the county of Montgomery and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ignition Devices for Internal-Combustion Engines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in ignition devices for internal combustion engines, the object of the invention being to provide a mechanism of the character stated which will insure a uniform spark at every explosion regardless of the speed of the enine. g To those skilled in the art, it is well known that when an induction coil of the non-vibrating type is employed in connec tion with a circuit maker and breaker of the conventional type, that the cam surfaces which are caused to bring contact points together for the purpose of closing the circuit through said induction coil, and then opening the circuit to produce a spark from such coil, that it is necessary to have the cam of such length that the circuit will be held 'closed sufficientlylong to allow saturation of the coil in order that the proper spark may be produced. It is of course evident that the cam must be sufficiently long or have enough dwell to allow saturation at the highest speed, therefore at all lower speeds,

' the contact points 'aretogether much longer than is necessary, resulting in a great waste of current, and due to the excessive amount of current passing when the current is broken, the large are or spark produced at the contact points, results in the rapid deterioration of such contacts.

With my improved construction, I employ a cam on the circuit breaker arm of a peculiar shape, so that I cause more and more contact or dwell upon the cam as the speed increases, so that the amount of cur rent drawn will be practically uniform throughout the entire range of speed of the engine or engines upon which the device is attached.

A further object of my invention is to provide centrifugal means for advancing and retarding the spark, whereas in the majority of ignition systems now used. this advance and retard is manually operated by various means of construction. I make use Patented Oct. 5, 1915.

1915. Serial No. 12,530.

of the advancing and retarding of the spark mechanism to actuate the cam in a direction at right angles to its rotation for the purinvention consists in certain novel features of construct on and combinations and arrangements of parts as will be more fully hereinafter described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 1s a plan view illustrating my improvements. Fig. 2 is a view in longitudinal sectlon partly in elevation, Fig.- 3 is a view in transverse section on the line 33 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view partly in elevation and partly in section illustrating the pin which compels the longitudinal movement of the rotary cam, and Fig. 5 is a fra mentary View partly in section and part y in elevation illustrating the face of the circuit breaker arm showing the shape of the cam thereon.

While, of course, my improved device may be located at any position so that one part may be vertical and another horizontal, for convenience of description, I shall hereinafter assume the parts to be in the position indicated on the drawings.

1 represents a casing in which a support ing plate 2 is located having a central opening 3, in which a collar 4 on a sleeve 5 is mounted to turn. The sleeve 5 is supported upon a reduced portion 6 of time shaft 7.

A cross bar 8 is secured to thetime shaft at the juncture of its larger and smaller diameters, and on this cross bar 8, a pin 9 is secured and engages in a recess 10 in a head 11- on the lower end of sleeve 5. The walls of this recess 10 are curved or at an angle, so that they operate as cam surfaces and when the head 11 and sleeve 5 are turned independently of the time shaft, the sleeve 5 will be caused to move longitudinally by reason of the cam action of the pin 9 against the wall of the recess 10.

A rotary cam member 12 is secured to the The circuit breaker arm 15 is secured to a block 17 having rotary mounting in a bracket 18 on plate 2, and a coiled spring 19 connects the bracket with the arm to normally hold the arm against a stop20 on plate '2, and maintain the contact 21 carried by spring tongue 20 on arm 15 away from stationary contact 22, which latter may form the part of a binding post 23 as clearly shown.

The bar 8 above referred to supports a centrifugal governor which comprises two relatively heavy arms 21 which are pivotally supported on pins 25 secured to the respective ends of bar 8. These arms 24 are provided at their pivoted ends with relatively flat fingers 26, having recesses 27 therein to receive pins 28 on the head 11 of sleeve 5, and cause the head to turn when the arms are thrown outward by the centrifugal force.

Extensions 29 are provided on the fingers 26 which are in position to engage the sleeve 5 and limit the pivotal movement of the governor arms, and coiledsprings 30 connect the arms 24 and resist the outward throw of the arms as will be readily understood.

The cam 14 on arm 15 is widest at its upper end, and tapers to a point near its lower end as shown at 31, and then the two edges of the cams extend to the lower edge of the arm and are parallel so that this lower narrowest portion of the cam is of the same length or width for a considerable distance from the lower edge of the arm upwardly. It will also be noted that the edge of the cam 14 nearest the pivoted end of the arm is straight throughout. This is the edge of the cam which first receives the contact of the cams 13 on the rotary cam member 12, and the length of contact is determined by the position of the cam member 12 on the time shaft, and this position is controlled by the governor arms 24 in accordance with the speed of the engine.

To hold the rotary cam member in its lowered position, and return it to such position, I provide a coiled spring 32 located around the reduced end 6 of time shaft 7, and between a fixed collar 33 and the rotary cam member, exerting a constant pressure on the latter. and normally holding the same at its position for lowest speed.

In starting, and until a relatively high speed is attained, the cams 13 engage the narrowest portion of cam 14 on arm 15, but as the speed of the engine increases, the movement of the arms 24 will cause the head 11 to turn, and due to the cam action of pin 9 in recess 10, sleeve 5 with the cam member 12 thereon will be moved longitudinally of the time shaft. so that a greater length of cam surface 14 is presented to the cams 13, and the length of this contact or dwell is just sufficient at all speeds to permit the proper saturation of the induction coil, so that when the circuit is broken, the proper spark will be made regardless of the speed of the engine, and without wasting any current while running at low speeds, hence regulating the spark automatically by the movement of the rotary cam member longitudinally of the time shaft, and at right angles to the direction of turning movement.

Various slight changes might be made in the general form and arrangement of parts described without departing from my invention, and hence I do not limit myself to the precise details set forth, .but consider myself at liberty to make such changes and alterations as fairly fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. The combination with a movable circuit breaker arm, of a cam positioned transversely of the arm and tapering from one end toward the other, a rotary member having cams thereon adapted to engage the cam of the circuit breaker arm, and means for moving one of said members relative to the other, substantially as described.

2. The combination with a movable circuit breaker arm, of a cam positioned transversely of the arm and tapering from one end toward the other, a rotary member having cams thereon adapted to engage the cam of the circuit breaker arm, and means for moving the rotary member transversely of the circuit breaker arm, substantially as described.

3. The combination with a movable circuit breaker arm, of a cam positioned transversely of the arm and tapering from one end toward the other, a rotary member having cams thereon,adapted to engage the cam of the circuit breaker arm, and a centrifugal governor constructed to move the rotary member at right angles to the circuit breaker arm, substantially as described.

4. The combination with a circuit breaker arm having a tapering cam thereon, said cam extending transversely of the circuit breaker arm and tapering from one end toward the other, of a rotary cam engaging the cam on the arm, a time shaft on which said rotary cam is mounted. and a governor on the time shaft constructed to move the rotary cam longitudinally, substantially as described.

The combination with a circuit breaker arm having a tapering cam thereon, said cam extending transversely of the circuit breaker arm and tapering from one end toward the other, of a time shaft, a sleeve. on the time shaft, a rotary cam secured to the sleeve and engaging the cam on the circuit breaker arm, and a governor mounted on the time shaft and constructed to move the sleeve in accordance with the speed of the shaft, substantially as described.

7. The combination with a circuit breaker arm having a tapering cam thereon, of a time shaft, a sleeve on the time shaft, a ro- 'tary cam secured to the sleeve and engaging the cam on the circuit breaker arm, a head on the sleeve having a recess therein, a pin projecting in the recess and having cam engagement with the walls of the recess, governor arms pivotally supported at one end and engaging the head, whereby the outward movement of the arms compels the longitudinal movement of the sleeve, substantially as described.

8. The combination with a circuit breaker arm having a tapering cam thereon, of a time shaft, a sleeve on the time shaft, a rotary cam securedto the sleeve and engaging the cam on the circuit breaker arm, a head on the sleeve having a recess therein, a pin,

projecting in the recess and having cam engagement with the walls of the recess, governor arms pivotally supported at one end and engaging the head, whereby the'outward movement of the arms compels the longitudinal movement of the sleeve, springs connecting the arms. and fingers on the arms engaging the sleeve limiting the outward movement of the arms. substantially as described.

9. The combination with a circuit breaker armhavinga tapering cam thereon. said cam extending transversely of the circuit breaker arm and tapering from one end toward the other, of a rotary cam engaging the cam on the arm, a governor constructed to move the rotary cam at right angles to its rotation, and a spring exe ting pressure on the rotary cam member normally holding the latter in position to engage the narrowest face of the cam on the circuit breaker arm, substantially as described.

10. The combination with a circuit breaker arm having a tapering cam thereon, said cam extending transversely of the circuit breaker arm and tapering from one end toward the other, ofa rotary cam engaging the. cam on the arm, a centrifugal governor constructed to move the'rotary cam at right angles to its rotation, and a spring exerting pressure on the rotary cam member normally holding the latter in position to engage the narrowest face of the cam on the circuit breaker arm, substantially as described.

11. The combination with a circuit breaker arm having a tapering cam thereon, said cam extending transversely of the circuit breaker arm and tapering from one end toward the other, of a rotary cam engaging the cam on the arm, .a time shaft on which said rotary cam is mounted, a governor on the time shaft constructed to move the rotary cam longitudinally, and a spring exerting pressure on the rotary cam member normally holding the latter in position to engage the narrowest face of the cam on the circuit breaker arm. substantially as described.

12.The combination with a circuit breaker arm having a tapering cam thereon,

mounted on the time shaft and constructed to move the sleeve longitudinally, and a spring exerting pressure on the rotary cam member normally holding the latter in osition to engage the narrowest face o the cam on the circuit breaker arm. substantially as described.

13. The combination with a circuit breaker arm having a tapering cam thereon, of a time shaft, a sleeve on the time shaft, a rotary cam secured to the sleeve and engaging the cam on the circuit breaker arm, a head on the sleeve having a recess therein, a pin projecting in the recess and having cam engagement with the walls of the. recess. a governor constructed to turn the head and cause the longitudinal movement of the sleeve in accordance with the speed of the shaft, a spring exerting pressure on the rotary cam member normally holding the latter in position to engage the narrowest face of the cam on the circuit breaker arm, substantially as described.

14. The combination with a circuit breaker arm having a tapering cam thereon,

of a time shaft, a sleeve on the time shaft, a rotary cam securedto the sleeve and engaging the cam on-the circuit breaker arm, a head on the sleeve having a recess therein, a pin projecting in the recess and having cam engagement'with the walls of the recess. governor arms pivotally supported at one end and engaging the head. whereby the out-ward movement of the arms compels the longitudinal movement of the sleeve. and a spring exerting pressure on the rotary. cam member normally holding the latter in position to engage the narrowest'face of the cam on the circuit breaker arm. substantially as described.

15. The combination with a circuit breaker arm having a tapering cam there on, of a time shaft. a sleeve on the time shaft. a rotary cam secured to the Sleeve and engaging the cam on the circuit breaker arm. a head on the sleeve having a recess therein, a pin projecting in the recess and having cam engagement with the walls of the recess, governor arms pivotally supported at one end and engaging the head, whereby the outward movement of the arms compels the longitudinal movement of the sleeve, springs connecting the arms, fingers n the arms engaging the sleeve limiting the outward movement of the arms, and a spring exerting pressure on the rotary cam member normally holding the latter in position to engage the narrowest face of the cam on the circuit breaker arm, substantially as described.

16. A device of the character described, comprising a stationary contact, a movable circuit breaker arm normally spaced from the stationary contact, a rotary member having cams thereon, a cam on the circuit breaker arm varying in length and positioned transversely of the circuit breaker arm, said last-mentioned cam engaged bv the cams on the rotary member, and centrifugal means compelling the rotary member to move at right angles to the circuit breaker arm, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

LEWIS T. RHOADES.

Witnesses RUTH Jonaxsnx, BETSEY TROMIETER. 

